Cottage living in stylePublished on July 3, 2017

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Pioneer Handcraft Limited
Photo by: Mark Holleron

Jennifer Rong Designs
Photo by: Mark Holleron

Joseph Emil Designs
Photo by: Mark Holleron

With cottage season upon us, now is a great time to refresh your summer oasis. This year’s hottest design trends incorporate natural elements that are perfect for a rustic abode or a modern chalet. You’d be amazed at what a new statement piece or a few accessories can do to a room.

California Casual

Many of L.A.’s most chic citizens enjoy decamping some 90 miles north to the inland town of Ojai, making the once-sleepy artist and hippie enclave a major centre of cool and its rustic, artisanal ethos is a major design influence right now.

Tips to achieve this look

Incorporate plenty of reclaimed wood, live edges and earthy tones.

For a budget-friendly instant makeover, use colourful towels or a few throw pillows with bright colours or retro patterns. If you’re crafty, consider sewing your own pillow covers with vintage scarves.

For an evening centerpiece, place tall glass bottles with taper candles down the table’s centre.

Art Deco

Popular in the late 1920s and early 1930s, this style emphasizes form as much as function, and puts a focus on glamour and grandeur. Art Deco embodies the best of the Roaring Twenties with its suave and sophisticated elegance.

Tips to achieve this look

Bold, geometric design is necessary for any Art Deco style. Achieve this through patterned wallpaper or furniture items that highlight shapes and tones of wood.

Keep your surfaces sleek and shiny; lacquer, polished wood and glossy paint come together for a gleaming effect. Reflective elements such as mirrors and glass pieces only up the ante.

Hygge: Danish-inspired style

Free spirited, relaxed and welcoming, Hygge (hoo-gah) essentially means creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life. This rising Danish trend embodies what it’s like to sit and drink wine with good company – what better place to do that than at the cottage!

Tips to achieve this look

Keep it minimal: use natural elements and choose pieces with intention. Handmade furniture from Ontario Wood producers embodies the Hygge feel, mixing local wood and soft fabrics for the ultimate comfort.

Cozy is key. Make a warm and inviting space by the fireplace or simply use tealights for that relaxing glow.

All wood products and their producers featured in this story are part of Ontario Wood, an initiative that supports locally-grown, locally-crafted Ontario wood products and encourages Ontarians to buy local.